Pizza Hut rethinks presidential debate stunt

— Pizza Hut is rethinking its contest daring people to ask “Sausage or Pepperoni?” at the presidential debate Tuesday.

After the stunt triggered backlash last week, the company says it’s moving the promotion online, where a contestant will be randomly selected to win free pizza for life.

The pizza delivery chain had offered the prize — a pie a week for 30 years or a check for $15,600 — to anyone who posed the question to either President Barack Obama or Republican candidate Mitt Romney during the live town hall-style debate.

But blogs and media outlets immediately took the pizza delivery chain to task for trying to capitalize on the election buzz by injecting itself into the process.

A Pizza Hut spokesman said in an e-mail that moving the contest online was a “natural progression of the campaign” after people got excited about the idea and “wished they could get in on it.”

Contestants must enter their e-mail addresses on the site to be eligible.

Upcoming Events